Applause begins with Part

Sebastian Lang-Lessing has programmed the Symphony’s Applause Series (the second of the two Classics series) to open this weekend with a work by Arvo Pärt (pronounced arvo pært). Pärt is not a composer that is performed often by the Symphony, but is enormously popular with choral groups. He is an Estonian composer, who lived in Berlin for many years. His style of composition is unique; he calls it tintinnabuli. The music is simple and often sounds like ringing bells. It is influenced by Gregorian chant.

The concert begins with one of his more famous works, Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten. The work is for string orchestra and a single chime bell. Here is a video of a recent performance by an ensemble called A Far Cry: